Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Accessory Dwelling Units topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayfield planning commission discusses accessory dwelling unit ordinance; staffs to draft formal language and hold public hearing
Summary
The commission agreed to pursue an updated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance, directed staff to draft language based on templates from nearby cities, and said any ordinance would require a public hearing and explicit rules on setbacks, septic and parking.
The Mayfield Town Planning Commission on July 17 discussed draft updates to the town code to allow and regulate accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Commissioners supported preparing a formal ordinance, directed staff to draft proposed language, and agreed that any ordinance would return to the public for a hearing before council action.
Mayor Steve Anderson framed the planning question as one of scope and safety: "If you put an accessory dwelling in a building... you've got to be able to run septic. They'd have to have enough space and land," he said, noting county and state health requirements that size septic systems to the number of bathrooms. Commissioners emphasized the need to define whether ADUs could be rented, require separate exits, and meet setback and parking rules.
The commission discussed options and constraints drawn from other municipalities. Commissioners asked staff to prepare a draft that would define ADU types (attached, detached, basement), require minimum setbacks (examples discussed: 8 feet for accessory residential structures, 75 feet for corrals in agricultural contexts), require separate safe egress for basement units and a cement foundation for detached units, and address parking provisions.
The zoning administrator (staff member) noted a recent state directive that limits a municipality's ability to prohibit ADUs entirely and recommended a measured ordinance that sets public-safety and nuisance protections while enabling rental or family use. Commissioners specifically requested staff to prepare a draft based on templates from comparable towns (the mayor cited Moroni's ordinance as an example) and to bring the language back for public review and a formal hearing.
No formal ordinance was adopted at the July 17 meeting. The commission instructed staff to draft proposed code language, circulate it for public review, and include a public hearing in a future council agenda.
